WEBVTT
3
NATS: IT'S REALLY NICE THAT
YOU'RE DOING THISSOME
COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN HILTON
HEAD HAVE BEEN BUSY THIS
HOLIDAY SEASON...CUTTING
áNATSá AND TYING HUNDREDS OF
HAND-MADE áORNAMENTS."EVERYONE
HAS GOT THEIR HAND IN THE
PROJECT."IT'S A PART OF A
CLASS WITHIN THE HILTON
HEAD-BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.A GROUP OF YOUNG
PROFESSIONALS THAT WORK TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR
COMMUNITY, AND MAKE IT A
BETTER PLACE."THEY REALLY MAKE
THIS HOME."AND NOW A NEW
PROJECT - "MATTHEW'S OAKS.."
HOLIDAY ORNAMENTHAND-MADE
OUT SOME OF THE THOUSANDS OF
TREES THAT FELL ON THE ISLAND
DURING THE STORM."THE TOWN
DOES NOT INFLUENCE THE
DECISION, IT IS AT THEIR
DISCRETION AND AT THE HEART OF
EACH OF THESE CLASS MEMBERS TO
COME UP WITH THAT IDEA."AN
IDEA, THEY SAY, WAS A NO-
BRAINER AFTER THE STORM, EVEN
THOUGH THEY ALREADY HAD
ANOTHER PROJECT IN MIND."AFTER
HURRICANE MATTHEW WE FELT THAT
WE HAD A GREAT PURPOSE, AND
FELT THAT WE COULD MAKE A
GREATER IMPACT."NOW, THE GROUP
HAS HAND-CUT AND HAND-TIED
ENOUGH ORNAMENTS TO MAKE 12-
HUNDRED DOLLARS - AND THEY'RE
STILL WORKING"WE ALL HAVE A
BIG STAKE IN THIS."THE MONEY
WILL GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
- TO REPLACE A FALLEN OAK IN
SHELTER COVE PARK.AND AT THAT
SAME SPOT - THEY'LL PUT A
PLAQUE TO HONOR FIRST
RESPONDERS AFTER THE HURRICANE.
THE CLASS SAYS IT'S A SLOW
PROCESS, BUT WORTH IT."WE'RE
HAND MAKING THESE ORNAMENTS,
BUT THAT ALSO MAKES THEM VERY
SPECIAL."REPORTING FROM HILTON
HEAD, AMANDA FOSTER WJCL 22
NEWS.
3
THOSE ORNAMENTS ARE FIVE
DOLLARS EACH. THEY'RE
AVAILABLE AT THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE UNTIL WEDNESDAY.

Local group making "Matthew's Oak" ornaments out of fallen trees

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Updated: 5:28 AM EST Dec 16, 2016

Hilton Head, S.C. (WJCL) —

A Hilton Head Island group is proving the island's roots run deep.

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After thousands of trees fell there during Hurricane Matthew, the group is making the most of the situation, and spreading some holiday cheer.

It is part of a leadership class within the Hilton Head-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce.

"Everyone has got their hand in the project," class member Kayla Boyter says.

The class is a group of young professionals who work to learn more about their community, and make it a better place.

"They really make this home," Hannah Horne of the Hilton Head-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce says.

Now, the new project for the class is called "Matthew's Oaks." It is hand making holiday ornaments out of some of those thousands of trees that fell on the island during the storm.

"The town does not influence the decision," Horne says. "It is at their discretion and at the heart of each of these class members to come up with that idea."

The idea, they say, was a "no-brainer" after the storm, even though they already had another project in mind.

"After Hurricane Matthew, we felt that we had a great purpose, and felt that we could make a greater impact," Boyter says.

Now, the group has hand cut and hand tied enough ornaments to raise $1,200 - and it is still working.

"We all have a big stake in this," Boyter says.

The money will go back to the community to replace a fallen oak in Shelter Cove Park. At that same spot, they will put a plaque to honor first responders who worked during and after the hurricane.

The class says it is a slow process, but worth it.

"We're hand making these ornaments, but that also makes them very special."

The ornaments are five dollars each, and are available at the Chamber of Commerce until Wednesday.

Edit: As of Friday, the group says while they are thankful for the demand, they are running low on ornaments. They are asking anyone who would like one to wait to come in until Monday.